Rotary tool carrying tractor attachment device



Dec. 1951 M, NIA 2,580,110

ROTARY TOOL CARRYING TRACTOR ATTACHMENT DEVICE Tiled May 1'7, 1948 Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 3Z0 a I G u m zaz 7 I :a

0 '6 3 360 I I86 I73 0 v I 13 a I26 34- o 44 [I268 I z "6 I 200 4 15a IS'das: I I53 356 88 334 Eh" 1" -L 40a 530. 330 v so 410 4:2 I 3 3m entor Gttorncg DL 2 5, 1 5 '1 M. MABRY 258G110 V ROTARY TOOL CARRYING TRACTOR ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed May 17, 1948 2 YSHEETS-SHEET' 2 I um vnmunnmh 3mm 49 f4 48 45 If?" 8 1%2760 (Ittomeg Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE ROTARY TOOL CARRYING TRACTOR ATTACHIVIENT DEVICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a tractor attachment assembly and more particularly it is an object bf the invention to provide a versatile assembly for attachment to the power take-off shaft of a tractor for utilizing the power of the latter for drilling.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an assembly as described which is adapted to mount a rotating shaft in a position for swinging movement in a vertical plane.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of an assembly as described which is adapted to move a shaft rotatably secured thereto, in upward and downward directions as desired.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of an assembly for the purposes described which includes a. frame swingably mounted for permitting the swinging of a rotatable shaft secured thereto in a wide horizontal of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a side elevation of the assembly of the invention shown as secured to the rearward end of a tractor; one rear wheel and a portion of the tractor axle as well as forward portions of the tractor and also a portion of the gear housing and a portion of the frame of the assembly being broken away; and other portions of the tractor and assembly showing in section; a circular saw sometimes employed being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the tractor and assembly as shown in Figure 1, both rear wheels of the tractor here being shown, a portion of a gear housing and a portion of a drum bracket being broken away;

' Figure 4 is a rear elevation of a portion of the assembly showing the tool attachment shaft dis- I posed in a horizontal plane with a circular saw blade secured thereto, a log sawing guide of the invention being shown as secured to the tool attachment shaft housing, a log being shown in a position of preparedness for a movement of the log sawing guide preparatory to cutting, a portion of the log being broken away and other portions being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a view-in-section taken along the line 55 of Figure 3 and showing a ratchet and pawl mechanism employed during wire stretching operations;

Figure 6 is a view-in-section taken along the line 66 of Figure 4, a circular saw employed being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 7 is a detailed view of a slip clutch mechanism and slidable rotation transfer connection employed, certain portions thereof being broken away and other portions being shown in section; and

Figure 8 is a detailed frontal elevation of a drum mechanism for controlling frame swinging movements.

The tractor attachment assembly of this invention includes a frame having upper and lower horizontally disposed sections, generally designated by the numeral Ill. The frame I!) is pivotally secured to a tractor, generally indicated at The tractor l2 includes two rear wheels M, a rear axle I6, a rear axle housing I8, a power take-off shaft 20, and a transmission housing 2|.

The forward end of the frame [0 is pivotally secured by means of a bracket 22 and a king pin 26 to the lower rearward side of the transmission housing 2!.

The forward, upper end of the frame I0 is secured by means of a king pin 28 to a mounting bracket 30, and the latter is in turn secured by 40 means of two standards 34 to the upper, rearward end of the transmission housing 2|. The pins 26 and 28 are directly, axially aligned and disposed one above the other.

Means are provided for causing the frame 10 to swing about the pins 26 and 28 in a horizontal plane.

Such means include a hand control wheel 40 best seen in Figure 8. The control wheel 40 is disposed on a shaft which latter is rotatably received through a mountingmember 42, which latter also rotatably supports two drums 44.

Each of the drums 44 is provided with a gear 46 secured thereto. The gears 46 and drums M are rotatably disposed about shafts 48. On the lower end of the shaft '50, to'which the hand wheel as is secured, a gear 3 is rigidly secured thereto, the gear 56 being disposed in mesh with the spaced apart drum-gears 55.

Also mounted upon the drum-mounting member 12 are two pulleys $6 spaced apart transversely with respect to the tractor and disposed on opposite sides of the drums 3. The pulleys 46 are rotatably secured to the mounting member 42 by means of. suitable axle bolts 5'2.-

The drum mounting member 42 is elongated and is disposed transversely with. respect to the tractor I2 and secured to the upper sides of the standards 34.

Two cables I9 are secured to the drums 44 and are wound thereabout. The free ends of the cables iii are reeved across the pulleys BB respectively. The free ends of the cables ID then extend rearwardly to and are secured to suitable cars it on therearward end of the frame Ill.

As thus described a rotation of the hand wheel 46 will. cause a rotation. of the drums 44 in opposite' directions with respect to each other, causing swinging movements of the frame III in a horizontal plane.

A tool attachment shaft so having a threaded lower end 92. is provided to which a circular saw, shown in dotted lines at 94 in Figure I, may be secured.

A post hole auger or drill 98, having a bifurcatedupper end 89, to which the threaded lower end ofthe shaft 3Q may be secured, is also adapted'for' use in lieu of the saw 94.

If desired, the auger $8 may be a combination tool having a wire winding drum I64 secured to its upper end so that when a combination drill 98 is secured to the shaft so by means of the nut I86, the drum IEM may be used for drawing fence wire taut. v

To facilitate" the latter operation, a ratchet mechanism, best shown in Figure 5, is provided. The latter includes a ratchet or ratchet wheel I.I0 rigidly secured to the drum id for rotation there.- with. The drum Iil i, as well as the ratchet wheel IIU rotate with the shaft 12 as the latter rotates in a housing I I2.

A pawl I I4 is provided and is pivotally secured to the housing I i2 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel IS. The pawl H4 is without a spring because in use the drum I4 is horizontally disposed whereby the pawl will be caused to engage the ratchet wheel H9 by force of gravity.

At its upper end, the shaft 95 is securedto the bevel gear I I6 and the latter is disposed in mesh with a bevel gear Hi, to which latter a shaft IZil is secured. The shaft I2!) is normally, horizontally disposed and is provided with a horizontal housing 522, which latter is adjoined to the head of the housing H2, a removable plate I26 being provided on the rearward side of the head at the junction of the housings I I2 and I22 permitting access to the bevel gears HIS and H8.

The housing 22 is rotatably slidably held by the frame iii a manner later described and is provided with a rearward portion rotatably secured to a forward portion thereof for rotation in a manner for swinging the shaft 98 in a vertical plane transversely of the shaft :25 and for this purpose a lever its. is provided,, the latter being rigidly secured at one end to the housing I22 and being provided with a handle at its free end.

Between the secured and free ends of the lever I38 a bolt I32 is disposed through the lever I30. The bolt I32 is provided with a cotter pin I34 4 on one end thereof and a head on the other end thereof. The purpose of the bolt I32 is for securing the lever I39 in any one of a plurality of positions transversely of a semi-circular bracket M9, the latter being rigidly secured to the frame is at its ends.

The housing #22 is provided with an enlarged section I22 between the bracket MG and a cross head 3H.

The bracket Hill is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures I 12 for the purpose of receiving the bolt 532 to lock the shaft 90 in any one of a plurality of positions in a vertical plane.

The shaft 42o extends forwardly out of the housing I22 and is attached by means of a universal. joint 58 to a rod i52 which latter is provided with longitudinal ridges or splines.

The rod !52 is slidably disposed in a sleeve I54 and the latter is provided with a longitudinally grooved or splined opening therethrough for slidably receiving. the s'plined. rodv I52. in av manner whereby the rod i 52, is, slidable in, and rotated by the shaft. or in sleeve L5 5. 1

A slip clutch or crown clutch mechanism is provided and is secured to the sleeve. I154; The crown clutch mechanism includes two members It!) having oppositely disposed irregular surfaces which are complemental to each other for overlapping. y

The said surfaces are provided with alternate crowns I62 and recesses I64 as best. seen in Figure 1. One of the members I69. is provided with a central opening therethrough for receiving a rod or elongated member I19, which latter is secured at one end to the other crowned clutch member I60.

Preferably, the rod [it] is axiallyaligned with the sleeve I54.. That crowned member I65 which is provided with the aperture is further provided with two oppositely disposed, elongated ears I-I2 which are disposed spaced apart for receiving therebetween the rod Hi1 and a compression spring I14, which latter. is disposed about the rod I10 and is heldincompression against the apertured slip clutch member I66 by means. of a nut I80, which latter is disposed on the end of the rod H0.

The forward ends of the ears I12. are Secured to a universal joint I84, and the latter, is in turn secured to a shaft I86.

The. shaft ice is square in. cross-section. and is. slidably disposed in a square opening, not shoWn, in a dog i88p The dog I83 and the shaft I85 are thereby slidably, but not rotatably, disposed with respect to each other.

The outer circumference of the dog {88 is gen-.- erally cylindrical and a bearing sleeve Ififiis. provided for extending about the dog I808. A collar 280 is provided and is rigidly secured to the bearing I90.

The collar 2% is pivotally secured to a rocker arm 292- which latter extends upwardly and is pivotally mounted on the frame through a horizontally disposed shaft 284, which latter is rotatably mounted on the frame Ill in bearings 206.

Spaced transversely from the rocker arm 202, an arm 2|!) is provided extending vertically upward from the shaft 224 and rigidly secured thereto so that movements of the arm 23% will be transferred to the shaft 294 and to the rocker arm 32 for moving the bearing 5,93 along the shaft H36 thereby disengaging the shaft I86 from the shaft 248. 9

At the upper end of the arm 2H3 a horizontal- 1 disposed link 2H2 is pivotally secured thereto at 2I4, the link 2I2 extending forwardly with respect to the tractor I2. The forward end of the link 2 I2 is pivotally secured at 2I3 to a hand lever 220, which latter is pivotally secured to the frame In. The hand lever 223 is disposed in a vertical plane and is adapted to pivot with respect to the frame l0 in a vertical plane, longitudinally disposed with respect to the frame Ill.

The dog I88 is provided with an annular ring or protrusion 230 extending therearound. The

bearing 200 is adapted to engage the protrusion 230 on the rearward side thereof at desired times in response to operation of the lever 222 for causing the dog I88 to move forwardly on the shaft I86 and away from the universal joint I84.

The forward end of the dog I 88 is preferably rectangular in vertical cross-section and the said forward end is adapted to be snugly received in a slot in the rearward side of a slotted clutch member 234. A pulley wheel 236 is rigidly secured to the slotted clutch member 234. The pulley wheel 236 is disposed on the tractor side of the slotted clutch member 234.

The pulley wheel 233, the slotted clutch member 234 and the ,dog 230 are all provided with aligned apertures therethrough for receiving a round shaft 240, the latter extending rearwardly only partway through the dog 222.

The shaft 24!! extends toward the tractor I2 and is secured rigidly to the power take-off shaft of the tractor by means of a suitable universal joint 250.

Between the pulley 23B and the universal joint 250, another pulley 252 is provided. The pulleys 236 and 252 are each provided with belts 254 extending upwardly therefrom and disposed about two upper pulleys 258 and 260. The belt 254 extending from one of the lower pulleys 236 is preferably crossed and the belt 254 extending from the pulley 252 is not crossed.

The pulleys 258 and 262 are provided with oppositely disposed clutching surfaces. A clutch plate or clutching wheel 282 is provided and is disposed between the pulleys 258 and 269. clutching wheel 289 is rigidly secured to a shaft 282, which latter extends longitudinally of the frame I0 and is rotatably secured thereto.

The pulley wheels 258 and 250 are themselves slidably secured about the shaft 282. Each pulley 258and 260 is provided with a slot around a hub thereof, said slots being disposed on the other side .of the pulleys from their clutching surfaces, or, in other words, disposed away from the clutch plate or wheel 280.

Two fingers 286 and 28B are provided, the latter extending vertically upward from and being disposed in the slots of the pulleys 258 and 252. The fingers 286 and 288 are secured to a horizontalarm 292 in spaced apart relation with respect to each other. The arm 290 extends longitudinally with respect to the frame 1! I! and is pivotally secured at 292 at the tractor end thereof to a hand lever 294 which is itself secured to the frame III by means of a pivot plate 296.

The hand lever 294 is adapted to pivot in a vertical plane, the said plane being disposed longitudinally with respect to the frame I0.

As thus described, an urging of the hand lever 294 in a direction away from the tractor ill will cause the pulley 253 to engage the clutch plate 280 for causing rotation of the shaft 282 in one direction in response to rotation of the power take-off shaft 20. I

A pulling of the lever 294 toward the tractor l2 will causethe pulley 250 to engage the clutch- The.

V scribed.

plate 280 and; because the belt of the pulley 260 is crossed, this will cause the shaft 282 to rotate in an opposite direction for purposes later de That end of the shaft 282 which is disposed away from the tractor is provided with a pulley wheel 332, which latter is rotatably secured to an upper pulley wheel 302 by means of a belt 304.

The upper pulley 302 is keyed to a shaft 3III which latter is rotatably mounted upon the frame it in a normally horizontal position, longitudinally with respect to the frame Ill. A forward end of the shaft 3| 0 is drivably secured to a bevel gear 3I2 by means of a driving pinion 3I4.

The bevel gear 312 is rotatably secured to the frame It) and is keyed to a screw-shaft 3I6. The screw-shaft 3I6 is vertically disposed nor-' mally and is also rotatably secured with respect to the frame IE3 at its lower end. The screw-shaft 3I6 is disposed through a threaded aperture in a slidable block or cross head 3I'I, which latter is secured around and to the shaft I20 and housing I22 as best seen in Figure 1.

The cross head 3I I is horizontally disposed and. its ends move upwardly and downwardly in tracks or rails 3&9, which latter are vertically disposed spaced apart channel iron frame members.

The housing I22 is provided with suitable side brackets 322 composed of two parts secured together by means of bolts 333. The purpose of the brackets 32B is to attach the semi-circular apertured member I43 to the slidable block 334, as best shown in Figure 2. 1

When the device of this invention is used with' a circular saw blade 94, attached thereto, the

lever I36 is swung so that the shaft an is disposed in a horizontal plane. At such time, an operator will secure a log guide, generally indicated at 359 to the housing H2.

The saw guide 350 is provided with a handle 354 at one end thereof and is provided with a channel 356 in the other, wide end thereof, the channel 356 comprising an elongated slot.

- As thus described, the wide end of the guide 350 is substantially of a U-shape in cross-section for receiving theteeth of the blade 94 as later described.

Midway between the handle 354 and the 0pp0- site end of the guide, lugs 36!) are secured transversely of the elongated guide 350 and at opposite side edges thereof for holding a piece of cordwocd 318 against the blade 94.

At its channeled end the guide is provided with a bolt 372 secured therethrough and extending transversely outwardly therefrom. The bolt 312 is provided with four apart arms 390- extending in spaced apart pairs forwardly therefrom toward the housing I I2.

The arms 39!! are provided with apertures therein at their forward ends for purposes of facilitating the securing the forward ends of the arms 396 by means of bolts 396 to a pair of apertured lugs 435, which latterextend longitudinally of the housing H2 and are disposed on opposite sides of the latter.

To maintain the frame I 0 relatively rigid when in a position extending directly rearwardly from the tractor I2 two cables 408 are secured at opposite sides of the frame II Each cable 498 is attached at its forward end to the drum mounting member 42 as best seen in Figure 1. At its rearward end each cable 408 is secured to the frame is by means of shock absorbing spring 4H] and turnbuckles 4I2.

In operation, it will be seen that the assembly of this invention can be employed for sawing a piece of cord-wood by swinging the lever I3!) until the circular blade 94 is disposed in a vertical plane, placing logs upon the guide 350 beneath the lugs 366, as best shown in Figure 6. The lever handle 354 may then be pushed forwardly and upwardly until the saw blade 94 has passed through the log or piece of cordwood Sid and into the channel 356.

Also, it will be seen that when the assembly is to be used for digging post holes, the auger 98 may be securedto the tool shaft 92 and holes may be dug by causing downward movement of the shaft 90 by manipulation of the hand lever 294 which causes rotation of the screw-shaft 3|6.

Opposite manipulation of the hand lever 294 will cause the auger 98 to raise from the ground. At such time, a fence wire may be secured to the drum fil -l and rotations thereof will cause the fence wire to be wound and drawn taut. It will also be seen that at such. time as the fence wire is taut, the rotation of the shaft 9% may be stopped since the ratchet HE and pawl El i will cooperate to prevent rotation of the drum EM and release of the wound wire.

It will be seen that this invention has provided a tractor assembly particularly adapted for use in sawing post hole digging, fence wire stretching, tree felling, and many other uses.

From the foregoing description, it is thought n convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification including variations in the shape and size of the parts without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a power attachment for a tractor, the combination which comprises a horizontally disposed frame having upper and lower parallel sections with vertically aligned kingpin openings in the inner ends and having a vertically disposed frame carried on the outer end with spaced parallel tracks in the said vertically disposed frame, mounting brackets for attaching the frame to a rear axle housing of a tractor with king pins carried thereby and pivotally mounted inthe said king pin openings of the upper and lower sections of the frame, a cross head having a tool carrying head extended outwardly therefrom slidably mounted in the tracks of the Vertically disposed frame, a driving shaft with universal joints therein journaled in the horizontally disposed frame with means connecting the inner end of the shaft to the power take off of a tractor on which the mounting brackets are attached and with the outer end extended into the said tool carrying head, tool mounting and ac tuati g means positioned in the said tool carryins head and operatively connected to the driving shaft, elevating means for raisin and lowering the cross head and tool carrying head, and means actuating the elevating means by the said driving shaft.

, 2, In, a power attachment for a tractor, the combination which comprises a horizontally dis Based ha in paralle upper a d lower tions with vertically aligned kind pin openings in the inner ends and having a vertically disposed frame carried on the outer end with spaced parallel vertically disposed tracks therein, mounting brackets pivotally connected by king pins to the upper and lower sections of the frame through the said-king pin openings thereof, a cross head having a tool carrying head extended outwardly therefrom slidably mounted in the tracks of the vertically disposed frame, a driving shaft with universal joints therein journaled in the horizontally disposed frame with connecting means on the inner end of the shaft, means journaling the outer end of the said driving shaft in the tool carryin head, said tool carrying head having an arm extended therefrom positioned perpendicular to the axis of the said driving shaft, tool mounting and actuating means carried by the arm and operatively connected to the driving shaft, elevating means for raising and lowering the cross head and tool carrying head, means actuating the elevating means by the driving shaft, and means rotatin the said tool carrying head, means actuating the elevating means by the driving shaft, and means rotating the said tool carrying headto adjust the said arm and tool mounting and actuating means from vertical to horizontal and also to intermediate positions.

3. In a power attachment for a tractor, the

combination which comprises a horizontally dis-' posed frame having parallel upper and lower'seccross head having a tool carrying head extended outwardly therefrom slidably mounted in the tracks of the vertically disposed frame, a driving shaft with universal joints therein journaled in the horizontally disposed frame with connecting means on the inner end of the shaft, means journaling the outer end of the said driving shaft in the tool carrying head, said tool carrying head having an arm extended therefrom positioned perpendicular to the axis of the end of the driving shaft positioned in the tool carrying head, tool mounting and actuatin means carried by the arm and operatively connected to the driving shaft, a vertically positioned screw journaled in the vertically disposed frame and threaded in a portion of the said cross head, a counter-shaft journaled on the upper section of the horizontally disposed frame, means driving the countershaft from the drivin shaft, means rotating the said vertically positioned screw by the countershaft, means reversing the direction of rotation of the counter-shaft and screw, and means rotat-,

ing the said tool carrying head to adjust the said arm from vertical to horizontal and also to intermediate positions.

4. In a power attachment for a tractor, the combination which comprises a horizontally disposed frame having parallel upper and lower sections with vertically aligned king pin openings in the inner ends and havin a vertically disposed frame carried on the outer end with spaced parallel vertically disposed tracks therein, mounting brackets pivotally connected by king pins. to the upper and lower sections of the frame through the said king pin openings thereof, a cross head having a tool carrying head'extended outwardly therefrom slidably mounted in the tracks of the vertically disposed frame, a driving shaft with universal joints therein journaled in the horizontally disposed frame with connectin means on the inner end of the shaft, means journaling the outer end of the said driving shaft in the tool carrying head, said tool carryin head having an arm extended therefrom positioned perpendicular to the axis of the end of the driving shaft positioned in the tool carrying head, tool mounting and actuating means carried by the arm and operatively connected to the driving shaft, elevating means for raising and lowering the cross head and tool carrying head, means rotating the tool carryin head to adjust the position of the arm and tool mounting and actuating means from vertical to horizontal and also to intermediate positions, and means swingin the said frame laterally about the said king pins.

MELVIN MABRY.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,484,923 Zander Feb. 26, 1924 1,542,720 Phillips June 16, 1925 1,571,077 Washa Jan. 26, 1926 1,580,043 Hoel Apr. 6, 1926 1,589,481 Obernuefemann June 22, 1926 1,595,446 Borton Aug. 10, 1926 1,622,704 Coil Mar. 29, 1927 2,312,287 Renner Feb. 23, 1943 2,321,680 Houston June 15, 1943 

